The local sports radio stations here in Utah seem to be talking a lot about, "how Utah's recruiting has far surpassed BYU's since 2011". It seems like it's almost a daily topic. As a BYU fan I found it hard to accept that we've become a recruiting runner up to our rivals up North. An equal? Perhaps, but as the radio pundits are making it sound, a definitive second place? No way. I figured going Independent had to do SOMETHING for our recruiting cause. So, I decided to do some research, and sure enough the tables have turned.

Since joining the Mtn. West in 1999 BYU had an average recruiting class ranking of 48 nationally. Utah, on the other hand, had an average of 61. That was running the combined national class rankings from 1999-2010.

Since joining going Independent / joining the Pac 12 in 2011, our class ranking averages have literally flopped. BYU is averaging a class ranking of 64 nationally, and Utah is averaging a class ranking of 48.

As a top tier Mountain West school we were recruiting on par with a middle of the pack Pac 12 team. Since joining the Pac 12, Utah is recruiting like a middle of the pack Pac 12 team. Has their recruiting improved since joining the Pac 12? Yes, it has. They're right on par with where they should be. Has BYU's gotten worse? Yes, it has. We've dropped nearly 15 spots, on average, since going independent. I would have guessed going independent would have, at the very least, kept us on par with where we were before, i.e. top 45-50 classes in the country. I never would have guessed it would have made us drop.

I know you can't put too much stock in recruiting rankings, but I still find it interesting how much things have shifted.